Edmonton Oilers vs New Jersey Devils

The Matchup: The Edmonton Oilers (5-Eight-1; SBN Weblog: The Copper & Blue) on the New Jersey Devils (9-Four-1)

The Time: 7:00 PM EST

The Broadcast: TV - MSG+ | Radio - WFAN 101.9FM/660AM

Dealing with Adversity: Deep breaths, everybody, deep breaths. The New Jersey Devils have hit a tough patch. Gone is the cycle of successful three-straight, adopted by a disappointing, however not world-ending loss. Issues are getting severeright here. The Devils are on their first shedding streak this 12 months, having misplacedvideo games to the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and St. Louis Blues. The Devils, beforehand unbeaten on the street, rolled into Edmonton on Friday November Three, and judging by the feedback on my preview of that recreation, everybodynoticed the loss coming. So nothing to fret about, proper? That Sunday, the fifth, the Devils had been in Calgary. They performed an thrillingrecreation, howeverultimately squandered an idealbegin from Keith Kinkaid, who confirmed a outstandingcapacity to ceasephotographs on the breakaway and hold his staff in it. Okay. Everyone goes by some struggles, and back-to-back losses occur to even the very best of groups, particularlythese as bitten by the harm bug because the Devils have been early this 12 months. Quick-forward to this Tuesday. The Devils, again on residence ice, howevertaking part in a staff they’ve struggled towards for years, drop one other one to the St. Louis Blues and Vladimir Tarasenko. That’s three straight losses during which the staff was outscored by a complete of 14-Eight.

In order that’s the place we stand.

New Jersey will welcome the Edmonton Oilers to the Prudential Heart tonight. Now, I gave Edmonton a number of flak in that recreation preview on the third. I talked in regards to the lack of dependable, consistently-scoring depth forwards that they now had because of GM Peter Chiarelli. And so they promptly circled that evening and buried six on New Jersey.

“Okay,” stated I “Even probably the most incompetent offensive groupsrating six objectivesas soon as in awhile.”

I used to befairlypositive Edmonton wouldn’t repeat that efficiency. And so they didn’t. They obtaineddealt with two nights later by the Detroit Pink Wings in a Four-Zero drubbing. One other two nights later, the Oilers had been on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to play a Metropolitan rival, the New York Islanders. In that recreation, the Oilers had beenonce more taken to activity by the opposition. The Islanders managedmany of therecreation, and if it weren't for Cam Talbot the Oilers may’ve misplaced that recreation by three or 4objectives. However Talbot stood on his head all through the evening to get them to additional time. About forty seconds and just a little McMagic later, the Oilers survived, successful 2-1 in a recreationthey need to’ve misplaced100instances over. However that’s hockey. So, right herewe're. The Devils must face a staff that simply steam-rolled them not even per weekin the past. A staff who, of their following video games, struggled mightily to place any black rubber disks inside any nets in any respect. With Kyle Palmieri more likely to return to the lineup, I’m to see the on-ice response from the gamers.

McMagic: The Oilers appear like a staff who’s going to go so far as their goaltending, and Connor McDavid, will take them. It is astaff with a sub-Three.00 objectives for per recreation stat. A staff who’s allowed 4objectives or extra in six of fourteen video games. Actually Cam Talbot’s a great goalie with outstanding consistency. In spite of everything, the person, a one-time backup for these whose identify shall not be spoken, began 70+ video games a season in the past. Talbot is an absolute workhorse, and the Oilers are going to rack up the mileage on him this 12 months with 24-year-old Laurent Brossoit, a veteran of 17 NHL video games, being his solely backup on the roster presently.

As for the troubles on offense, it actually doesn’t take a lot to see the problem. Other thanthe primary line of Pat Maroon, Leon Draisaitl, and McJesus, there’s actually nothing behind them. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins remains to bea high quality second line heart, for my part. However he’s centering a line with Drake Caggiula on his proper, and Milan Lucic on his left. Caggiula is a sophomore NHL’er who scored a whopping 18 factors in 60 video games a 12 monthsin the past. In the meantime, Milan Lucic is sweet for some issues, and nevera lot for others. Behind these two traces it’s a barren wasteland by way of scoring capabilities. Jussi Jokinen wasn’t in a position tokeepwholesomefinal12 months, and thus his manufacturing fell by the proverbial flooring. Ryan Strome hasn’t seemedspectacular since his rookie marketing campaign in 2014-15, when he put up 50 factors in a season, nonetheless his most spectacular mark up to now.

As for the Oilers, I couldn'tdiscover a full listing of observetraces from Wednesday. Nevertheless, it seems Caggiula will sit and get replaced by Anton Slepyshev on the second line with the Nuge and Lucic. That's, if Slepyshev is wholesomesufficientto decorate.

In Closing:In order that’s that. There’s nothing extra to be performed. Tonight at 7 PM the Oilers and Devils will hit the ice for his or her second and closingassembly of the season. I’ll hold the feedbackpartup to date with the Oilers line information, and if there’s a sudden change to Palmieri’s situation I’ll publish that as nicely. Everyoneget pleasure from your Thursday.